


Drinks and Disorientation

by cadetjaeger



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Bartender AU, Just some shitty one shot, M/M, Minor Violence, eren is flirtatious, ereri, levi is levi, mentioned drugs, mentioned rape, riren - Freeform, sorry if its atrocious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-06
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-04-25 05:06:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4947826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cadetjaeger/pseuds/cadetjaeger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One shot. Levi is a bartender at Sina Lounge and is intrigued by this bright-eyed brat that won't leave him alone. I sincerely apologise if this sucks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Drinks and Disorientation

Levi had been working at Sina Lounge for about as long as he could remember. He was familiar with nearly all of his clientele, from the towering Mr. Zacharius to the eccentric Mx.* Hanji. He had never much cared for their business, although admittedly it was always pleasant when they left a tip. No, what Levi cared about was not so materialistic.

Now, not being a man of a particular sentimental nature, Levi frankly didn't care if most of his clientele dropped dead, so long as it was outside the bar where he wouldn't be left cleaning up after them. Nevertheless, the buzz they created whenever they appeared was something he found somewhat interesting. To him, other people's lives, their actions, their stories, were all stimulants. They added a hint of intrigue to his otherwise stifling existence, yet had the comforting uniformity of routine.

That's why he hated Fridays.

For it was on a Friday evening, usually between 9-11pm that an influx of new, unfamiliar people would visit and taint the lounge with their typically youthful lack of sophistication. College students would stand about, drinking some fancy cocktail with a pretentious name and acting like they were professional connoisseurs. It pissed Levi off beyond words, as it was obvious not one of them had a clue about obscure alcoholic beverages. Brats.

To his exasperation, Friday has rolled around yet again for Levi and he was bracing himself for the stampeding youth that would undoubtedly usher in very soon. He finished polishing the wine glasses for a third time before deciding they were sufficiently clean, and leant heavily against the bar, sighing in malcontent.

3...2...1...

Right on schedule, a group of college students pushed through the ornate double doors of the lounge, chatting noisily. All in all, he counted nine in this particular group; four girls and five boys. It was gonna be a long night. The group was varied, and the relationships within it ,Levi could see, were complex. Amongst them were a boy and a girl with their arms around one another's shoulders, laughing obnoxiously loud and chanting something just inaudible towards a boy with dark hair and intense blue-green eyes, the sort of colour you'd perhaps find in a tropical ocean. It was painfully obvious that they were trying to talk him into doing something stupid, as they were avoiding his gaze whenever he looked over at them and glanced about furtively when they spoke. Perhaps sensing how much of a terrible idea whatever the hell it was that those two were planning was, the boy approached the bar. 

Levi instinctively stood to attention, trying not to look to eager or enthusiastic to serve him. No, that was the sort of shit that got you involved with people emotionally - something he liked to avoid to the best of his ability. He was not a sociable person, to say he was employed in his particular line of work, but his raw talent kept his job secure.

The boy arrived at the bar, looking weary and fatigued. Clearly those two's ridiculous antics were a frequent occurrence. He looked at Levi for about a minute, his eyes flickering up and down his figure before he spoke:   
"Hi, I'll have one Jägerbomb please."   
Levi grunted something in response before setting to work making his drink. He didn't take particular care with it; he didn't have to. After so many years of the same job under the same conditions in the same location it had become almost second nature to him. 

The kid continued looking at him as he poured his drink, and he couldn't help but wonder if he was checking him out. The thought was almost enough to make him chuckle. Almost. As he brought it to him, the boy spoke again:  
"Hey, what's your name?" He asked, the low lighting of the bar casting shadows across his face.  
"Hey, Bright Eyes, I fail to see how that's relevant to anything, so just drink your fucking drink, okay?" Levi kept his voice monotone as he talked, refusing to let him mistake any hint of affection at the nickname he had just spontaneously created for him. 

He nodded silently, quickly downing his drink and pushing a large wad of cash onto the counter. He sighed, figuring that if the kid was gonna leave him such a massive tip, he might as well answer his question.  
"...It's Levi..."  
"Levi!" He announced excitedly, his eyes shimmering. "I like that name! I'm Eren!"   
"Do you usually go about giving random men your name?" He asked, bored.  
Eren winked in an over-exaggerated, mock flirtatious manner before replying:  
"Only the really hot ones!"

Levi narrowed his eyes and had to make a conscious effort not to bury his face in his hands in exasperation.  
"Don't flirt with me. It's pointless and will get you nowhere."   
"Aww, why not?" Eren whined like a child "Are you not into guys?"   
"Yet again, none of your fucking business." Levi gritted his teeth.   
It was incredible how irritating these cocky kids could get, but this one just didn't want to take no for an answer.  
"...Do you get hit on a lot?" Eren asked, a curious glint in his eye.

Levi tightened his grip on the bottle he was holding, getting increasingly distracted by this kid. Was there no way to shake him off?  
"Yes, as a matter of fact I do! By men much hotter than you, so just give up already!" His voice had broken a little from its usual monotony, slightly raised in anger.  
"...So you ARE into guys?" Eren said smugly, the smirk on his face getting bigger.  
"Go fuck yourself in the mens room or something kid, 'cause it ain't happening with me!"  
And with that Levi went back to wiping down the bar.

The night seemed to progress more slowly than usual, and on occasion he would stop and glance at the arrogant teenager who had tried to flirt with him. He hadn't bothered Levi again since they last spoke, and was now amongst his friends, clowning around and generally trying to fit in. He wondered if the boy knew how blatant it was that he was making an effort to blend in with his companions. Probably not, Levi concluded, but it wasn't like it was concern of his. He didn't care. He was just curious as to why he had given up on him. Was he really not worth the effort? He assured himself that this was not the case, and that he didn't really care either way, but he was strangely offended by the brat's sudden lack of interest. 

The lounge was full now, both college students and fully matured working adults occupying the establishment. Eren had returned to the bar, and Levi braced himself, ready for some other cheesy pick-up line or flirtation; nothing. He sat on the barstool, straight in Levi's line of vision, chatting to an older man with dark hair and narrowed eyes. It was pretty obvious the kid had a type. However, unlike Levi, the man Eren chatted to was tall and oozed charisma. The boy was enraptured. It was only when he briefly turned his back on the man to hear something his friends had said that the stoic bartender saw the mysterious lanky man slip something into his drink. 

Levi's glare became more hostile, his aura becoming dark and fearsome as he made a low guttural growling sound at the back of his throat.  
"Oi!" He shouted, fury in his voice.  
The man did not look up, so he seized him by the front of his shirt, his grip alarmingly powerful for someone of his stature.  
"Don't fucking ignore me, I know you can hear me! Don't think I didn't see what you did, you fucking creep!" 

Many heads had snapped around to watch the display, the bright-eyed brunet among them. Levi didn't care. All he knew was that he would not put up with this shit here, and that he wouldn't sit back and watch the poor kid be drugged and kidnapped by a sinister stranger.  
"I saw you put that powder in his drink, don't even fucking deny it!" His tone became more intense, and his eyes more wild. The man looked slightly alarmed, obviously not used to being caught. Had a bartender with less sharp instincts been on duty, he might've gotten away with it, but certainly not with Levi Ackerman.

His face contorted in disgust as he jerked the man closer to him, his voice almost a hiss the next time he spoke:  
"What were you gonna do, huh? Knock him out? Kidnap him?" Levi's expression became more sour "Rape him? God, you're one sick fuck!"

He kicked the perpetrator to the floor, the sharp heel of his boot digging into the small of his back. He applied more pressure to his foot, delighting in the small grunt of pain from the man.  
"Now listen the fuck up, okay?" His sneer became more twisted as he regarded the vile creature his foot was rested on. "You touch that kid again, or interact with him in any way, shape, or form and I will fuck you up so badly you won't be able to shit for weeks, got that?!"   
The man nodded quickly, eager to escape Levi 's grasp. Levi lifted his foot, but instead of letting it go, brought a swift kick to the man's abdomen and a second to his crotch. Finally, landing one last kick to the face and feeling satisfied when he heard a loud crack and witnessed blood gushing from his face did he grip the man by the collar and send him skittering across the street, threatening to call the police if he reappeared.

When Levi turned around, the first person he saw was Eren. He stood, wide-eyed with his arms dropped limply at his sides and gulped. Clearly, Levi thought, his display of violence must've spooked him. After all, he couldn't be any older than 18, he most likely hadn't even witnessed a proper fight before. All heads in the bar were still directed towards Levi.   
"All right, show's over. We're closing early tonight!" He announced, and rolled his eyes at the frustrated groans and shuffling of feet as people moved in huddled masses towards the exit.

Except one.

Eren had not moved from his spot, and now had his gaze trained firmly on Levi. He needed to tell him something. Thank him. Apologise maybe. Something.

Levi moved over to him, standing so he was about a metre away.  
" ...So you alright or what?"   
Eren took a step back in surprised, baffled by Levi's sudden apparent concern for his wellbeing.  
"You don't have to look like a deer caught in headlights, Bright Eyes. I'm not going to harm you." He had attempted to soften his tone to relax the teenager, but he still looked on edge. He sighed.  
"Sit." He said, pointing to a bar stool and watched as Eren hastily complied.   
"Good...now talk to me. You have a voice, don't you? Use it." His tone still lacked sympathy.

Eren turned his head slightly, not daring to look at his supposed saviour head-on. "I'm fine..." He mumbled, barely audible. Levi, however, was not convinced.  
"No, you're not. Talk. Express feelings or whatever. Because I'm not letting you go home until you do."  
"I-I'm pretty sure it's illegal to hold me here against my will..." Eren stuttered.  
"Probably," Levi shrugged. "Now talk."   
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unsure of what to say. He had previously had a plethora of witty remarks and flirtatious comments to throw at him, but staring him in the face after he had probably saved him from an awful fate, somehow the words had all slipped his mind.

"Um...thank you...?" Eren guessed.  
Levi raised a questioning eyebrow "Whatever for?"   
"F-for saving me..." He replied, his voice beginning to shake as he began to comprehend the last few eventful minutes in his mind.  
Levi shrugged. "Couldn't have some creep dragging you home and fucking you whilst you were unconscious now, could I?"  
Eren blushed a little at his phrasing, subconsciously shuffling a little further from him. "I-I guess not..." He eyed the exit. "Can I go now? My friends have probably already gone..."  
Levi looked up at him. "Then you're walking home? Alone?"   
"Well," he replied, rubbing the back of his head. "I'd take a cab but I lost my wallet."  
Levi looked impatient. "Have you learned nothing, Eren?" He asked, putting emphasis on the boy's name.  
"I don't exactly have a choice, y'know!" He replied, getting a little infuriated at being held back.  
Levi was silent for a moment. "Yes you do. Come on." 

When Levi had said that Eren didn't have to walk home, he was expecting him to hail a cab or stick him on a bus or something - but not this. The inside of Levi's car smelt strongly like car freshener, almost to the point of being overwhelming. The silver paint was flawlessly polished, and the leather on the car seats was undamaged and quilted.  
"You can relax, y'know? Your wiggling about like a pre-schooler who forgot to piss before a coach journey is fucking irritating."  
"O-Oh...sorry..." Eren apologised.  
"And stop fucking stuttering too, you sound like an idiot."   
"Sorry." He repeated.  
"And for fuck's sake, stop apologising!"  
"Sor- okay..." He said, catching himself before he could stumble and apologise again.

Eventually, after an awkward exchange of nought but silence, Levi pulled into Eren's drive.   
"There. Back. Try not to get yourself killed on the way from the car to your door." He drawled, as before sounding careful not to sound too caring.  
Eren smiled at him, grateful for his help despite his hostility. Deciding to be brave, he leaned across and planted a chaste kiss on Levi's cheek before he could protest.  
"Thank you, Levi, for everything. Take care." He said merrily, before quickly dashing to his front door and fumbling with the keys before managing to get the door open. He turned around to ask the man if he wanted to come in for tea, but by the time he had, Levi had already pulled out of the drive, leaving Eren alone. He could only hope Levi had gotten the note he had left on the dashboard of the car.

As Levi drove down the poorly paved suburban streets, he noticed a hastily scrawled post-it stuck to his car. He glanced at the note, scan reading it and rolling his eyes one last time in exasperation before shoving it in his coat pocket.

Thanks for everything. Call me! 

0729 016933 **

**Author's Note:**

> * Mx. is the gender-neutral form of Mr., Ms., Mrs., etc...
> 
> ** Please do not attempt to call the number at the end of this story. It is a made up number and will most likely wield no answer.   
> Thank you.


End file.
